. >> smith: were you ever contacted by anybody in law enforcement or the justice department? >> not until just recently. >> we are going to step up on the principle of one set of rules for everyone, equal justice under law. >> narrator: finally, in late 2012, the state of new york sued a wall street bank for fraudulently misrepresenting the mortgages they packaged and sold. >> very simply, we're investigating the misconduct of folks who caused the bubble... >> narrator: the man who brought the suit was new york attorney general eric schneiderman, co-chair of a new state-federal working group that included the department of justice, the sec and others. >> ...complaint for securities fraud against jpmorgan chase as successors to bear stearns and company and emc mortgage corporation. >> narrator: although the case centered on bankers' fraudulent and deceptive practices, no individuals were named. the suit was a civil, not criminal, case. >> smith: and you've alleged in the case of bear stearns that they passed these things on knowingly, intentionally, knowing they were bad? >> y